Ex-aide to Queen Elizabeth's husband charged with sex offences

LONDON (Reuters) - A former aide to Prince Philip, husband of Britain's Queen Elizabeth, has been charged with sex offences against a girl in the 1970s, a period he was working for the royal family, prosecutors said on Thursday.

Benjamin Herman, 79, is accused of three counts of indecently assaulting a girl aged about 12 and another count of attempted indecent assault between 1972 and 1974.

Herman worked an equerry to Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, from 1971 until 1974 before moving to work for Princess Anne, the queen's daughter until 1976.

"He will be appearing at Wimbledon Magistrates' court on Monday," said a spokesman for the Crown Prosecution Service.

Herman was not available for comment, but when asked by Daily Mirror newspaper if he would be denying the charges, he replied "of course".

Buckingham Palace said it would be making no comment while legal proceedings were ongoing.